[230315.EN.SEA] New World Shippers Group Forms to Rival Global Shippers Forum

THE new Global Shippers Alliance has been formed when the American Association of Exporters and Importers joined with Asian and European shipper groups to rival the Global Shippers Forum (GSF), which is suspected of favouring state concerns over those of shippers.

Incorporated in June 2011, the GSF is outgrowth of the Tripartite Shippers' Group (TSG), of which the European Shippers Council (ESC) was once a member. Now GSF claims to be the "world's leading trade association for shippers engaged in international trade moving goods by all modes of transport".

But the GSF works closely with United Nations agencies. Its website concedes: "The decision to incorporate was taken to enable the GSF to establish formal recognition, consultation status and accreditation with the major UN agencies such as the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the World Customs Organisation."

But the ESC did not join the GSF and the Asian Shippers' Council (ASC) left the group, after disagreement about representation and membership fees in the global group.

Source : HKSG.

[230315.ID.BIZ] PM Pertama Singapura, Lee Kuan Yew Meninggal Dunia

Bisnis.com, SINGAPURA - Perdana Menteri pertama Singapura Lee Kuan Yew meninggal dunia pada Senin (23/3/2015) pagi di Singapore General Hospital pukul 3.18 waktu setempat, demikian keterangan Pemeritah Singapura, Senin.

Putra dari Lee Kuan Yew, Perdana Menteri Lee Hsien Loong, dalam pernyataan tertulis seperti dikutip oleh AFP, Senin, mengatakan bahwa dia "sangat berduka mengumumkan kematian tuan Lee Kuan Yew, perdana menteri pendiri Singapura".

Lee Kuan Yew meninggal dunia pada usia 91.

Lee Kuan Yew telah dirawat di rumah sakit sejak 5 Februari 2015 karena menderita pneumonia parah.

Lee Kuan Yew terpilih menjadi Perdana Menteri Singapura pada 1959 dan kembali terpilih menjadi PM untuk ketujuh kalinya berturut-turut hingga mengundurkan diri pada November 1990.

Perdana Menteri Lee Hsien Loong juga mengumumkan kematian ayahnya di laman Facebook-nya yang kemudian dibanjiri oleh ucapan berbela sungkawa.

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 23.03.15.

[220315.EN.BIZ] ESC Says No To Legal Action And Calls For Better Co-operation

SHIPPERS are not poised to embark on new lawsuits against forwarders over price-fixing, according to the air freight policy manager at the European Shippers' Council (ESC) and secretary of the Dutch Council of Air Shippers (EVO), Joost van Doesburg.

Instead, Mr van Doesburg has called for an end to what he calls a "negative chapter" in the air cargo history, marked lawsuits since the competition investigations into price-fixing began in 2006, reports Lloyd's Loading List.

"These reports give the impression that everyone in the industry is ready to sue each other, which is a great pity and not at all the image we should be projecting," Mr van Doesburg said.

"There may well be a solid legal case for forwarders to answer against shippers, but the amount of damages is probably too low to make such action likely," he said.

"I think it's time to look at the broader issue and focus our attention on ways of improving co-operation between, shippers, freight forwarders and airlines instead of pursuing each other in court."

Mr van Doesburg said that a large number of European shippers were already seeking claims for damages against airlines convicted of taking part in an air cargo price-fixing cartel between 1999 and 2006, totalling EUR2 billion (US$2.13 billion).

"Each of the shippers seeking compensation from airlines is acting independently and anonymously, with neither the ECS nor EVO having direct involvement in the litigation. Our role is to advise on shippers rights; that's it."

He said three legal firms were representing shippers in several European countries - the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium, with the initial legal proceedings dating back more than five years.

"They [the law firms] are building pressure on the airlines in the hope of getting them round the table to negotiate and reach a settlement without having to go to court.

"We are not there yet, but these claims should be a thing of the past. Instead, we have the prospect of the process dragging on and continuing to poison relations between airlines and shippers. It's very regrettable and a swift settlement would be the best solution."

It is hard not to come to the conclusion that the spate of court cases between forwarders and airlines, and shippers and forwarders, does nothing for the air freight industry and its customers - merely pays a high tariff to the legal industry, the London's Loadstar reported.

Source : HKSG.

[220315.ID.BIZ] YAMAN Diambang Perang Saudara, AS Evakuasi Staf Kedubes

Kabar24.com, ADEN - Amerika Serikat mengevakuasi seluruh staf di kedutaan besar Yaman karena kestabilan di negara tersebut kini terancam akibat perseteruan antara kubu pemerintah dengan gerilyawan yang berpotensi berujung pada perang saudara.

"Karena situasi yang terus memburuk di Yaman, pemerintah Amerika Serikat untuk sementara memindahkan staf yang berada di Yaman," kata juru bicara Departemen Luar Negeri Amerika Serikat, Jeff Rathke dalam pernyataan tertulis.

Evakuasi itu dilakukan setelah sejumlah bom bunuh diri, yang menewaskan 142 orang, meledak di Sanaa pada Jumat. Kelompok garis keras Daulah Islam, atau lebih dikenal dengan nama ISIS, mengklaim bertanggung jawab atas serangan itu.

Kelompoh Daulah Islam nampak memanfaatkan situasi perpecahan yang melanda negara miskin itu. Wilayah utara Yaman kini dikuasai oleh gerilyawan Houthi yang punya jaringan kuat di Iran. Sementara itu di selatan, kelompok pendukung Presiden Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi masih mendominasi.

Baru-baru ini, Presiden Hadi meminta Dewan Keamanan PBB untuk segera mengintervensi Yaman demi memulihkan keamanan. Sebagai tanggapan, Dewan Keamanan akan menggelar rapat darurat pada Ahad.

Dalam suratnya kepada Dewan Keamanan, Hadi mengecam "aksi kejahatan yang dilakukan milisi Houthi dengan sekutunya", dan menyatakan bahwa mereka "tidak hanya mengancam keamanan Yaman namun juga perdamaian kawasan dan internasional."

"Saya meminta Anda untuk segera mengintervensi dengan segala cara untuk menghentikan agresi yang ditujukan untuk menggulingkan pemerintahan yang sah," kata dia.

Yaman sendiri telah berulang kali dilanda rangkaian kekerasan setelah mundurnya Ali Abdullah Saleh pada awal 2012 lalu. Kini, mereka terancam jatuh pada perang saudara antara Houthi dengan penganut Sunni ditambah Al-Qaeda.

Pada Sabtu, Hadi bersumpah akan terus berupaya mengusir pengaruh Iran di negerinya. Dia menuduh kelompok Houthi telah mengimpor ideologi dari Tehran.

Houthi, yang sejak September lalu menguasai Sanaa, berjanji akan melakukan "langkah-langkah revolusioner" lanjutan setelah munculnya serangan bom bunuh diri pada Jumat. Di sisi lain mereka juga membantah keterlibatan Iran dalam aksi-aksinya.

Sejak menguasai Sanaa, Houthi terus berupaya bergerak ke selatan. Namun, langkah mereka terhambat oleh perlawanan masyarakat penganut Sunni yang bersekutu dengan Al-Qaeda.

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 22.03.15.

[210315.EN.SEA] 40pc Of 400 Shippers, 200 3PLs Plant To Shift From West To East Coast Ports

MORE than 40 per cent of retailers and manufacturers plan to shift volume to east coast ports as a result of chronic west coast congestion, according to an American Shipper research report.

The report, a poll of 400 shippers and 200 logistics providers, explores manufacturers' and retailers' responses to west coast congestion as well as the attitudes of shippers large and small, including 3PL cargo allocation plans and distribution centre strategies.

"Port congestion on the west coast the past nine months has had an indelible effect on shippers," said American Shipper research chief Eric Johnson`.

"It's clear many shippers and 3PLs are rethinking how to structure their supply chains so they're less vulnerable than they have been over the past year. For a sizable percentage of respondents, that means shifting cargo to east coast ports, and even relocating to new distribution centres on the east coast."

Source : SN-TR, 20.03.15.

[210315.ID.BIZ] Finlandia Terancam Kehilangan Peringkat Utang Teratas

Bisnis.com, HELSINKI — Finlandia berpeluang untuk kehilangan peringkat utang teratas yang disandangnya dari Fitch Ratings menyusul kegagalan pemerintah dalam mengerem pertumbuhan utang negara.

Berdasarkan keterangan resmi yang dirilis lembaga pemeringkat internasional pada Sabtu (21/3), prospek kredit Finlandia terpangkas menjadi negatif dari stabil. Pada saat yang sama, Fitch juga menyatakan bahwa perlambatan ekonomi dan kenaikan utang dapat mengarah ke pemangkasan peringkat Finlandia yakni AAA.

Pemerintah Finlandia memperbolehkan untuk melipatgandakan utang publik sejak 2008. Namun, pemerintah tercatat gagal mencapai semua tujuan ekonomi selama empat tahun terakhir, dan pada Maret tahun ini, sistem perawatan kesehatan terbukti runtuh.

Sebelumnya, Standar & Poor juga memangkas peringkat utang Finlandia satu level di bawah akibat proyeksi adanya stagnansi ekonomi. Sementara itu, Finlandia masih memegang peringkat utang teratas yaitu Aaa oleh Moody’s Investor.

“Populasi di Finlandia terus menua yang berpotensi menjegal pertumbuhan ekonomi. Kita juga memiliki masalah di ekspor, karena Finlandia membutuhkan ekspor untuk tumbuh,” kata Menteri Keuangan Finlandia Antti Rinne. 

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 21.03.15.

[200315.EN.SEA] Drewry: LA-LB Delays, Double Turaround Times Cost Lines US$ 150 Million

SHIP turnaround times at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach doubled in the fourth quarter compared to August, costing the container shipping industry US$150 million, according to Drewry Maritime Research.

The 10,000-TEU CSCL East China Sea had the longest stay, waiting 32 days after its December 21 arrival, said Drewry's Container Insight Weekly.

Drewry also found that some carriers suffered more than others. Hong Kong's Orient Overseas Container Liner (OOCL) was worst hit while Singapore's APL was the least affected, despite being the largest user of the port complex.

It took under four days to turn around an APL 6,000-TEU in the fourth quarter but a same size OOCL ship took more than eight days, Drewry found.

Overall, San Pedro Bay port congestion the last quarter cost carriers US$150 million, or $1.5 million per weekly service, according to Drewry estimates.

"We are prepared to stick our neck out and say that the industry lost in the region of $150 million in the fourth quarter as a consequence of the congestion," said its Container Insight Weekly.

"Annualised, that would equate to $600 million, which to put things in perspective would buy 60 gantry cranes or build a two million TEU per annum capacity terminal from scratch," Drewry said.

Marine Exchange data shows the number of containerships anchored increased since the start of the year with 23 waiting at the end of February.

Fifty-five per cent of containerships calling at LA-Long Beach from October through December were turned around in five days or less, while 13 per cent stayed for 10 days or more, Drewry found.

So far APL is the only carrier to have placed a financial figure on the costs accrued by the west coast congestion, and Drewry suggested other carriers should do the same as greater transparency would increase their chances of recouping the extra costs from customers.

Source : HKSG.